The Enigma of Walt Willard

[NW Mailing List]

Mr. Ponton;
Maybe these three photos will be of some use.  I've had them for years, I don't know where they came from. I tried to send them to your intelos address, but they came back.  
Geen Arnold
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: NW Mailing List 
  To: nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org 
  Sent: Friday, March 19, 2010 11:24 PM
  Subject: RE: The Enigma of Walt Willard


  In fact, a copy of the death certificate, which I have obtained, states the cause of death as 'coronary thrombosis' which I take to be a heart attack. I will note also Mr. Willard's death was noted in the February 1956 issue of the Norfolk and Western Magazine; the wreck, of course, was not.
  Lois J. Ponton
  611 Historian
   

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  To: nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org
  Subject: Re: The Enigma of Walt Willard
  Date: Fri, 19 Mar 2010 09:15:45 -0400
  From: nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org


  I was 16  and lived in Bluefield when that happened. I remember the wreck cars being called out, my brother T. C. Arnold Jr. was one of the brakeman. It was passed around that Mr. Willard( a very much respected engineer on the Poky Division) was dead at the throttle from a heart attack  when rounding the curve. My brother, B. L. Arnold was killed June 6, 1956 at Arista Mountain. The blue light at the call office was lit for both accessions.
  Gene Arnold
  Gloucester, Va.
    ----- Original Message ----- 
    From: NW Mailing List 
    To: nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org 
    Sent: Thursday, March 18, 2010 9:41 PM
    Subject: The Enigma of Walt Willard


     While finishing my book on the 611 1956 wreck, 'Midnight on the Pocahontas' I have been looking through details and realize I do not have that much information on the engineer, Walter Willard. What I do know about him:
    Born: August 4, 1895
    Died:January 23, 1956
    Home: Princeton, West Virginia
    Married to: Carrie Viola Gordon; no children
    Family: Brothers James, John, J.W. "Spot" Willard, Benjamin Willard, at least three sisters. I do not know the parents or where they came from.
    Hired on the N&W in 1909.
    Character: Don't know. I would like to get some idea on what the man might have been like so he is not cast as a 'villain' (which I personally don't want to do) especially if someone sees this book and decides to make a film of it.
    If any of you can supply any information please email me at ljp611 at ntelos.net or reply to this message.
    Thank you.
    Lois J. Ponton
    611 Historian


     


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